Should Toyota’s Mirai Be the Official Car for Paris 2024? Experts Weigh In

Last updated on September 10th, 2024 at 07:46 am

A big group of smart people who study science and the environment are telling the people in charge of the Paris Olympics that they might be making a mistake. They’re concerned about the car chosen as the official vehicle for the Games.

What is Wrong with the Car?

The car is a Toyota Mirai. It uses hydrogen for operation, not gas or electricity as most cars do. On the surface, this is a good decision because hydrogen cars do not emit vile gases during their use. But that is not all of it.

The big issue is where and how the hydrogen for these cars is generally produced. At present, 95% of hydrogen is produced from fossil fuels primarily natural gas. This means that while the car itself does not pollute when it is in motion, the process of creating the fuel for the car does pollute.

The result is that what scientists want, in some abstract, collective sense, remains unknown to the general population.

A letter was sent to the Olympic organizers signed by 120 scientists and experts in the group which called for the change of their minds. They believe it will do quite the opposite and may even negatively signify the eco-friendliness of the Olympics. They also do not want fuel to be burned but they prefer the organizers to transport the equipment and other properties in electric cars, which they deem harmless to the environment.

What Does Toyota Say?

Toyota, the company that produces the Mirai, claims they have had a strategy of using special hydrogen for the Olympic cars. This hydrogen would be produced even less harmfully, out of water and plants, with the help of wind or solar power. But the scientists are still concerned because the majority of the people who will be using this car will not get to use this particular hydrogen.

Why Does This Matter?

The Paris Olympics wants to be the “greenest” Olympics ever. They’re trying to cut down on pollution and use only clean energy. The scientists are worried that promoting hydrogen cars might send the wrong message about what’s truly good for the environment.